July 30, 2013
UCF Athletics Social Media Directory
By Andy Seeley
UCFKnights.com
NEWPORT, R.I. (UCFKnights.com) -- American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco addressed the assembled media at the conference's annual Football Kickoff and Media Day Tuesday. He emphasized that the league is poised for a great 2013 season and is set up for the long haul.
As I speak to you today, the pieces are in place for a successful football season and a brilliant long-term future, Aresco said. Clearly, we're a conference that wants to compete. We want to play the best. If our teams are successful playing such non-conference schedules, in addition to our very tough non-conference slate, we will be in a position to challenge for a sport in the national playoff or a spot in a New Year's Day or Eve host bowl (when the new format begins in 2014).
Aresco spent a good portion of his time at the podium on Tuesday talking about the landscape of college football at the FBS level. Throughout many other conference media days throughout the summer, commissioners and coaches have been talking about the possibility of change in the way college football and college athletics in general are governed.
Aresco made it clear where he expects The American to stand, if or when things change.
Whatever the highest level of Division I is in the future, we expect to be a part of it, Aresco said. And if a fourth division materializes, and of course we do not know whether that will happen … the American Athletic Conference belongs in it. Not because we say we do, but because the empirical indices say we do.
Whether it's the size of our athletic budgets or our athletic revenues, whether it's the football results on the field, whether it's the size and importance of our markets, and we have very significant markets in our conference, whether it's the heritage of our being a BCS conference … whether it's the alignment of our goals with those of the conferences that are being called the power five conferences, whether it's the size of our stadiums, our attendance, our investment in facilities … whether it's the level of TV exposure …
All these measurements separate us and put us above the line and, in my opinion and in the opinion of many, into the power group of conferences, Aresco concluded.
While the future of college football has been a hot topic, realignment in general has not been as of late. The commissioner was asked about the stability of the conference, after a year that included a great deal of change.
I didn't really talk much about that, because I don't really think that I need to now, Aresco said. I think there's great stability in this conference. I think the grant of rights by the members of the ACC has certainly acted as a settling influence on the collegiate landscape. We really think that's critical. Conferences have said they're happy with their size. We think we have a group that is very committed. We've got a great group of schools that want to build our conference.
Notes:
- Aresco was very complimentary of UCF a few times during his opening remarks, including mention of the Croke Park Classic.
We can point to other exciting things we're doing, Aresco said. UCF will be playing Penn State in Ireland to open the 2014 season.
The commissioner also pointed out Knights quarterback Blake Bortles for being an Allstate Good Works Team nominee, mentioned UCF winning 10 games and taking a divisional championship last season.
- Aresco also discussed player safety, which is always top of mind as the college football season begins. But it may be even more so this year, with new rules being enforced that are intended to address the issue.
We must be committed to their well-being, he said. Nothing trumps player safety. We are an active participant in new rules regarding targeting. We've been engaged in research regarding concussions and other things and we continue to engage in these discussions in all areas of player safety. That has to be our highest priority.
- Despite the event being centered on the kickoff of college football season, Aresco also found some time to speak about the other sports that will be played in The American.
Although today is devoted to football, I want to point out that our basketball and Olympic sports will also be outstanding, Aresco said. We have four returning men's NCAA Tournament teams, including the defending national champion. We have emerging programs at our other schools, several of whom have had outstanding basketball traditions. We have the defending national champion in women's basketball and a strong group of teams.
Our men's and women's Olympic sports will be played at a very high level, he continued. I firmly believe we're on the cusp of great things in this conference, and soon we're going to have the opportunity to show the country who we are and what we can achieve. We will be a shining example of grit and determination. We have great institutions and assets in this conference and we're going to develop them quickly.